On May 6, comet NEAT makes its closest pass to Earth--30 million miles away--and by the end of the month it will be in Ursa Major and fading as it speeds off. PageLink(12182)

Really NEAT comet coming

By Deane Morrison

During May, Comet NEAT is predicted to brighten enough to be
seen with the naked eye, at least from dark skies. But before
anybody gets too excited, the traditional cometary disclaimer is in
order: Comet brightness is notoriously hard to predict, so if Comet
NEAT turns out to be a dud, don't say you weren't warned. Although
Comet NEAT's brightness is uncertain, its path through the heavens
is not. The comet will come out in the southwest during the first
week of the month. On the 6th, it makes its closest pass to
Earth--30 million miles away--and it appears very low to the
horizon. On subsequent nights it climbs steadily higher. It passes
to the left of the bright star Procyon on the 9th and 10th. On the
14th and 15th, the comet appears within two degrees (four full moon
widths) of the gorgeous Beehive star cluster, first below the
Beehive and then above it. Also on the 15th, the comet reaches its
nearest point to the sun (perihelion)--89 million miles--and begins
its journey back to the outer reaches of the solar system. By the
end of the month, the comet will be in Ursa Major and fading as it
speeds away. PageLink(12182)